Stephs birthday present
by Mumofpicklegirls
Summary: It's Steph's birthday and Ranger is in Miami thinking about what could have been. Will Steph get the birthday she deserves? Oneshot


**Just a quick one shot that I know is late as Steph's birthday was a few days ago but which slipped off my fingers this morning.**

 **I have a new story (no, Jarelle is still sitting kicking her heels and rolling here eyes at me as only a teenager can as I've hit a writers block and won't start to publish her story until it's finished in some form or another and ready for me to polish up.) that's currently flying off my fingers so expect something quite different from me soon.**

 **Hope you enjoy this little belated celebration of Steph's birthday.**

 **o0o0o0o0o**

Ranger leant his forearms on the black railings of his large terracotta balcony, water bottle in hand, and watched the lights twinkling across the harbour from his 7th floor view. Earlier he'd had a long conversation with Julie and he was scheduled to see her on Sunday, right after she'd been to church. That meant he had 41 hours to kill as he hid, er I mean, gathered his thoughts and planned for his back to back meetings and appraisals on Monday.

Wandering over to his laptop he wondered if he should boot it up and watch where Steph's tracker had her at. After all, it was her birthday and she'd probably be out with the cop celebrating.

Theirs had always been a difficult relationship to define. 'Complicated' was an understatement and didn't even begin to hint at the on-going chaos that she brought to his life.

But he'd had enough.

When he got back to Trenton on Thursday he planned to schedule a meeting with her and explain that as she now worked full time for Rangeman it would be better all round if they didn't continue with whatever their relationship was. They should be co-workers only so that she could really sort out her relationship with Morelli. After all, he was a good man and she deserved the chance at a normal life.

Yeah, he thought as snippets of past conversations came back to haunt him. Sure, he'd balanced his condom statement out with making sure Abruzzi never bothered her again.

He'd softened his line item under entertainment comment by taking her to bed for a night that would forever be etched onto his body (as well as his heart).

But…"the heart wants what the heart wants" a little voice inside his head whispered longingly.

"Shut the fuck up…" he growled softly to himself as he shook his head to clear his mental meanderings.

Across the harbour he could see a 130 foot luxury yacht, well actually _his_ 131 foot (but who's counting?) luxury yacht coming into dock and he smiled.

After his conversation with his Babe when he got back to Trenton on Thursday he'd better change the name on her he thought, as the skipper gently berthed his beautiful tri deck Sunseeker 131. Julie hadn't worked out what the boat's name 'Light in the Darkest Hours' meant or to whom the nickname 'The Lady' referred but in a couple of years she wouldn't need to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. Rachel often gave him a funny look, yeah, she'd worked it out already.

His cell phone rang but he decided to let it go to voicemail. It was probably Tank anyway.

Walking back inside and heading over to his couch he sat down. Only for the apartment phone to ring. Sighing loudly he reached over and grabbed it. Few people had access to this number so it had to be important.

"Yo"

"Sir. Captain Giles here. I've just docked 'The Lady' but I have a situation that I your input on."

"Really? Can't it wait til the morning?"

"Sorry Sir, I'd rather you come take a look now so that I can implement any changes before you take your daughter out on Sunday."

"Fine. I'll be there in 15." He said, putting the phone down before the good captain had a chance to respond.

Swigging the last of the bottled water, he quickly changed out of his sweat pants and into a pair of black shorts and a short sleeved white t-shirt that hung well on his frame and alluded to the physical excellence that lay beneath.

o0o0o0o0o

Leaping gracefully onto the swimming platform, Ranger was immediately met by the second in command, Todd, who led him quickly up the steps and towards the Skydeck, trying to explain something as they went. Ranger ignored him and pressed forward. Whatever it was, Todd was agitated or perhaps a bit overexcited. Either way, Ranger was certainly picking up on the adrenaline surge the man was having.

Just as they reached the bottom step, Todd managed to step in front and slow Ranger down. "Please Sir. Don't get mad, just listen. Please?"

Ranger's brows knitted in confusion and he nodded before gesturing to the tall blond man to step aside.

As he began to climb he could hear soft music and a female's laughter, which if he didn't know better sounded like Steph's. Not possible, soldier, she's with the cop. He thought darkly.

His Cousin better not be trying to set him up again… he mentally growled as he hauled himself up the last two steps and onto the deck which was now covered in tiny twinkling fairy lights.

Ranger could see Captain Giles talking to someone but the large black man's back was to him and he was blocking a woman from his sights.

He watched, in slow motion, as small fingers gently pressed on Giles's bicep and in a scene reminiscent of a slushy romcom the captain glided away to reveal the woman who held his heart in her hands.

"Babe?!" he asked rhetorically as he suddenly realised there was only the two of them on the large expanse of teak decking.

She stepped towards him, smiling. Her long floaty dress billowing and showing off her bare feet in the gentle breeze. She was holding something behind her back with one hand as she began to tentatively walk towards him extending the other, a nervous smile on her pale pink lips.

"Carlos…" she said, pulling a long stemmed red rose from behind her back. "…I know it's my birthday and it's customary for the gift to go to rather than come from the birthday girl, but…" she started to say as she held it out towards him.

"Would you?… could you?" she asked but before she could add anything else he silenced her with a growling "yes" and a searing kiss as he cradled the back of her head in his large hands, crushing her curls haphazardly.

Later that evening, once they'd eaten the sumptuous yet simple meal that the crew had left for them they lay naked but wrapped in a huge blanket on one of the large sectionals, gazing up at the tiny lights and the stars beyond.

"How? Why?..." Ranger finally asked.

"Your mother."

"?"

"She phoned me to tell me you'd decided to move back here to Miami and spend more time with Julie. That you'd once told her that you'd always planned to do so once you'd retired from active duty so putting two and two together she figured you were done with the army. She also told me that you'd never get _your shit together_ – her words, not mine… so it was up to me."

She felt Ranger grin into her hair and hold her more tightly as he kissed her curls.

"Anyway, things with Joe had been rocky for months so when we last split up… 6 months ago, I decided to take a long look at what I really wanted. And I really wanted you. Ranger I love you. 100%. Now and forever, if you'll have me. I meant what I said earlier. I want your 'someday' no matter in what form and however and wherever the adventure takes us."

Ranger was dumbfounded. He'd known that her and the cop had had a big falling out a while back but as they'd never stopped to discuss it and all talk of Morelli had been banned from his presence by the gossip whores of Rangeman, he'd assumed they'd patched things up. So much for being aware of my surroundings, he realised with a mental snort.

"Ranger?"

"Sorry, just lost in thought."

"Penny for them?"

"Marry me." He whispered against her head.

"?"

"Right here, right now." He added, more urgently as he pushed her out of his arms slightly so that he could look at her face.

"Here? Now?!" she asked shock and hope written all over her face.

"Yeah. Here. Now!" He replied with a wide grin.

"Yes…. Yes!" she replied as she scrambled out of his hold so she could turn round and hug him, fiercely.

"But we don't have a ring! Or, or a priest!" she lamented as she looked at him in panic.

"Babe!" Ranger laughed out. "Give me half an hour. Ok, maybe an hour, please?"

Steph nodded, searching his now amused face and determined eyes.

"Give you a chance to get dressed…" He added with a knowing grin as he ran his fingers across her collar bone and down between her breasts, causing her to suck a breath in, in surprise.

oO0o0o0o0o

"I now pronounce you Husband and Wife. You may kiss the bride." Captain Giles announced an hour or so later.

With a lascivious grin, Ranger dipped his new bride and planted a seering kiss on her surprised lips. She almost dropped her single red rose bouquet before winding her arms round his shoulders and returning his caresses with a soft giggle.

"Are they always like this?" Julie asked her Mom as she stood and watched her Dad and Stephanie come up for air.

"Yeah." Replied both Tank and Lester in unison before bursting into laughter that soon filled the impromptu wedding venue.

"To wherever our adventure takes us, Babe. I love you." Ranger whispered in her ear as they stood and posed for the camera Todd was holding up.

 **o0o0o0o0o**

 **Short but sweet! R &R, please. Makes my day xox**


End file.
